This invention relates to methods and apparatus whereby cooling requirements of various processes may be met. More specifically, this invention relates to methods and apparatus for satisfying the cooling loads of such a process in a climate where temperatures at or below the required input temperature of the cooling load exist at least part of the year.
In the past, the most common mechanism by which cooling loads have been satisfied in industrial processes has been through the provision of compressor driven cooling devices. While these devices are generally relatively compact and are capable of delivering high capacities of cooling, they are expensive both in terms of operating costs and initial expenditures, and are subject to relatively high maintenance requirements.
Previously, it has been suggested to utilize ice formed naturally during the winter for process cooling. It has even been suggested to artificially create the ice through the crystallization of a water spray introduced to subfreezing ambient air. However, these proposed methods suffer from the defect in that they must provide for a sufficient volume of ice for the entire cooling load required during those portions of the year when ice is not naturally available. As a result, these installations are large and the associated costs are high.